[Bedon292]

>> If you type "how to leave" into the Google search window, "how to leave Facebook" will be the first suggestion.

Am I being too critical for thinking someone writing an article like this should know that Google searches / suggestions are personalized? Just because its suggested for them does not mean its universal.

[Klockan]

Just try it in private browsing mode, it removes personalization, "how to leave facebook" is then top for me.

[gaius]

Does it?

If IP address X does a query, then a moment later the same IP does the same query but just doesn't send any cookies, I am pretty sure Google knows it's the same person.

[datburg]

I have nothing to hide, but I think the age when incognito and privacy options started being celebrated by the browsers was the worst period for me as a web obsessed teenager. Mozilla would have spent some energy highlighting in simple ways how the private mode is a gimmick that has uses but does not protect web privacy. In fact web privacy is not attainable for this and that reasons.

I blame myself for being stupid for believing that the web was about helping people reach progress through minimal harm. Sigh. Innocence !

[rush340]

You're not. It really annoys me when people cite google search suggestions as meaningful.

In my google search suggestions, it falls behind "how to leave a group chat" and "how to leave a meetup group". Therefore it must be true that more people are trying to figure out how to get out of group chats or break it off with their meetup group than leaving facebook. This also must be a sign of the demise of group chat.

[whoopdedo]

I use Google infrequently and block google-analytics, so I believe I'm mostly outside the search bubble. I get "how to leave group chat", "how to leave your wife", "how to leave a review on etsy", and "how to leave group text". The questions about chat and text both give answers about iOS. Is Google the default search engine for Siri?

The other questions, hmm.

Another way to bypass customized results is to use StartPage. The only suggestion I get from there is "how to leave town"

[paulddraper]

Mine:

> how to leave a group text on iphone

> how to leave a google review

> how to leave a review on etsy

> how to leave a group chat

[FabHK]

Love me my ad/cookie/tracking blocking. I get:

> how to leave facebook

> how to leave a club in lol (??)

> how to leave ashran (??)

> how to leave a discord server (??)

Seems Google has me pegged as a gamer... (I'm not, had to DDG all the suggestions marked with a question mark)

[awqrre]

You are right, but I am supposed to have personalization off and it is still in the 7th position for me. ("How to leave your wife" and "how to leave a group chat" being ahead among others)... But if I type "How to quit", Facebook is 6th... Who knows what would happen if you combined all synonyms and excluded unrelated topics...